


Rising From Cinders

by sirenslament



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Found Family, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Not Beta Read, Torture but he gets rescued and you only see the end of it, eventually, is she dead? not important ill tag accordinly if so, more then heavily implied that cinder may be getting tortured off screen, nope - Freeform, this was meant to be a one off 3am thing, vent fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27933511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sirenslament/pseuds/sirenslament
Summary: Emerald and Neo bring Cinder back after the failed fight with the new Winter Maiden. Salem does not like to repeat herself and is cross (to say the least) with Cinder disobeying her. Mercury makes sure the distressed Emerald gets out of there. Mercury,Emerald,and Neo decide to ally together. Maybe a certain farm boy will find his ticket out and find a way to repay their kindness.
Relationships: Mercury Black & Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black & Neopolitan, Mercury Black/Emerald Sustrai, Neopolitan & Emerald Sustrai, Neopolitan & Oscar Pine
Comments: 35
Kudos: 103





	1. I know I can't beat you, but i can fill that thing full of holes before you take me down

**Author's Note:**

> A 3am vent fic becomes a thing, don't ask how. This was literally meant to be just about Emerald and Mercury talking about heavy emotions.But its like Neo went " Hi im here now and this is gonna be more then a one off" 
> 
> Its okay though asI love the Mercury saving Oscar theory going around though and I love Neo.
> 
> Set post RWBY Volume 8 Chapter 5, spoilers for things mentioned. 
> 
> oh! brief writing style switch, i may do that at other parts of this fic

_ I remember how cold the whale was, how horrifying the Grimm where. How I was way in over my head.  _

“ It was her fault, if her semblance would have worked then we’d have another maiden power”

_ I remember my world shattering, because of course she was right.  _

“Don’t blame the girl,Didn’t I tell you to wait”

_ Mercury was watching me,I can’t really remember his expression _

“ Yes but-”

“ **_Enough_ ** , you know how I do not like to repeat myself”

_ Cinder was gonna get hurt and I can’t stop it. _

“The rest of you out. Cinder and I need to have a little  _ private _ conversation”

_ I know I frozen. I know Neo gave me a pitying looking before leaving swinging her umbrella like a pendulum clock back and forth the handle rubbing against her wrist. I know Mercury put a hand on my back and gently ushered me out. I know I almost called out but my throat fell full of molasses. Salem doesn’t like to repeat herself. This is the third time.  _

_ This is the last time. _

_ Cinder is gonna die and its all my fault.  _

_ I realize Im being pushed out of the room. _

:

“ _No no no_ ”

She turned sloppily in her panic to get back in there, too sloppy Mercury is able to get her in a bear hug easily “Mercury-stop-put me down! its my fault you have to let me go help her- we have to go help her- Cinder  _ Cinder.”  _ Emeralds words only grew more frantic and rushed. She could hear Cinders pleas from the hallway. Her panic grew,  _ Cinder doesn’t plead. _

  
  


Mercury felt her futile punches against his chest, and tightened his grip “ Emerald, stop”

“Cinder could die let me in there”

“ No. So what if she does? She doesn’t care about you, she  _ uses _ you” He starts walking away from the thrown room door as she struggles against him. They both know she could truly get out.

“ She dosen’t. She loves me” 

“ Well she has a funny way of showing it” Mercury feels the all too familiar anger rising filling him with contempt

“How would you even know?”Emerald spits out as they arrive to a room out of the way, too far away to hear if Cinder screams or if her pride holds firm to the end. 

He closes his eyes and sets her down, letting her anger not rule him for the first time in a long time pushing it down “ Because I’ve been there Em. I’ve been there.”

“ What are you talking about?” She rounds to face him fuming and terrified. Her eyes are red full of tears ready to spill unable to keep voice as steady. No semblance of composure. 

  
  


“ You remember the night we met, Yeah? My Dad reminds me of your ‘Mom’. She saw you where useful and hurt you when you werent. Yet all you wanted to do was impress her. So you kept trying and trying until finally. They pushed you to far. They took something from you, you can’t get back no matter what you do. People like them try to break you but still mange to keep you wanting approval anyway ”

“Merc-”

“ So, Cinder dies. If she dies. Sadly she has the Maiden powers so Salem wouldn’t just throw her away without a replacement. Its a pity.”

“ I don’t know what to do without her.”

“ We ride our way to the top, we don't need her anymore” He smirks at an attempt at confidence, at normalcy. 

She leans on one of the pillars and says in a whisper he can barely hear

“ What makes Salem any different, then.”

“ What?"

“ She takes and orders us around”

“Because she has power, she’ll win so we will”

“ As soon as we aren’t of use we are tossed away right? Will we truly get anything with her. Look around, what can we even gain here. We'll be killed or tortured like that kid she has Hazel handling”

She saw Mercury eyes go cold at that but before he could reply the two where interrupted by the sound of scraping metal being dragged across the floor lazily the floor. 

Though Instead of the taunting manic energy of a certain mechanical the scorpion tail, it was something else entirely. A pale pink point of an umbrella hooked on the wrist of a neapolitan harlequin. She did not speak but joined them resting on her closed umbrella.

“ What do you want” Mercury snapped

In turn her form seemed to ripple and crack before she turned into a young boy Mercury vaguely recalled from the fight at haven. It shatters and she turns back and crossing her arms. 

“ So you heard, are you gonna tell Salem?” Emerald said narrowing her eyes, hands hovering over her twin weapons 

She used the umbrella she leaned on for support lifting one foot up and using it to slightly spin toward Emerald, with a overly theatrical bow she grabs the bowler hat she wears on her head holding it out to the huntress in front of her. 

Emerald took it and turned the hat over in her hand looking at it. 

“ Why would we care about a stupid-” Mercury started and Neo whirled on him. She leaned back on her heel, umbrella flared open pointed at him in the single fluid motion. 

“ This is Torchwick’s” 

Neo’s attention immediately snapped back to Emerald 

“ How did you even remember that?”

“ When was he not wearing it? Neo, he died at Beacon didn’t he?” 

In response Neo let her form change again, to a young girl in a red hood. 

He scoffed “ What does him dying at have to do with anything, what do you want. Revenge?” 

Ruby nodded and Neo was back like she was always there. 

Emerald eyebrows where scrunched together a moment until she realized

“ You want to work together” her voice heavy

_you understand what its like to lose someone like her_

Neo gave a small smile and this time she gave the nod illusionless. She gestured to the door and motioned with her hands like an usher at a theatre would. 

“uh okay,lets get that airship?” 

Neo looked smugly over at Mercury who rolled his eyes. 

“Oh! We can do it while Salem-” Emerald feels her throat fill with bile,it feels like cough syrup has taken over her lungs,like the liquid Grimm sludge decided to take residence in them. Neo put a hand on her shoulder shaking her head no before turning into that farm boy again.

“ Is that the kid Salem has?” Mercury asks, Oscar nods. “ You want to get him?”

“ Its risky" Emerald pauses looking directly at Neo while she flickers to herself again."We may not be able to stop Salem, but we can at least get the kid out if we are going.” 

“What do you plan on doing with him ” 

" We'll cross that bridge when we get there?" At Mercury's clearly unimpressed look she adds " Whatever we do, its better then leaving him here"

Both girls crossed their arms, waiting. Neo visible rolled her eyes mocking Mercury's stance. 

“ Okay, fine. But if this is a trick i'm killing you myself, popsicle” 

Neo looked so incredulous Emerald almost laughed at that alone.The grim suffocating darkness suddenly felt a little less so.

“ and Emerald I swear if you go try to save Cinder, who probably,  _ unfortunately _ will live anyway. I will not go and save your ass. She wouldn’t come back for you, you know that.” 

Neo gave a half hearted shrug in agreement

" Traitor" Emerald took a breath, deciding for now not to argue,

“Okay,fine” her smile dimming slightly “so what’s the plan?”


	2. What a Sweet Release when you Rest in Peace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emerald and Neo go after Oscar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! Have I decided on a constant writing style since this is actually a thing now? Yeah. Third person with switching perspectives because thats fun. This chapter is actually edited and not only written at 2am so it should be stronger. Thank you for making it this far. 
> 
> Also. I love writing Neo i've decided
> 
> Also Also, Oscar gets hurt a bit. poor dear.

The plan was simple enough, in theory: Neo goes with Emerald to get Oscar. Mercury goes to secure the little airship to their freedom. Neo’s impression of Salem was spot on, even without Neo being able to speak. Which the others found begrudging impressive considering how little she had been there. 

“Salem” and Emerald walked down the hall. They could hear the kid from out here, his cries of pain echoing down the dismal hallway,under cut with an undercurrent moans of corrupted Grimm and  _ Hazel yelling at the kid. _

Emerald knew three things in that very moment.

  1. She regretted any moment she thought Hazel was the nice one
  2. the part she’d have to play in this mission and made her stomach curl, even if it was brief 
  3. She was very glad Mercury wasn’t here for this part of the mission because he would not have kept his cool



They arrived to the door of the room Oscar was being held in soon enough. 

:

“ She was my  _ sister _ and she’s dead because of  _ you _ “

“ Im sorry- I don’t know your sister- truly”

Hazels fist slammed into his face, the fire dust embedded into his skin causing his veins to glow an unnatural red throughout his body lining the huntsman with an unnatural patchwork pattern of pure rage. Oscar cried out as he was struck again and again. Ozpin tried to help, but Oscar didn’t want to let go of himself, not yet. He could hold on a little longer, is what he thought. Hours of pain and violence making him numb

A soft click of long fingernails taping on the door frame.  _ Salem _ was back. Silent but watching, with her was one of the girls from Haven, the green haired one who made an illusion of Salem. He was too in pain to remember her name or much else for any matter.

_ Emerald Sustari  _ The all too familiar voice in his head supplied. _ She was in the Vytal Festival, did you get to see it Oscar?  _ Ozpin kept trying to distract him, keep him calm and strong. Oscar knew that but appreciated it none the less.

_ Yeah, a little bit of it.  _

Ozpin in response went silent, as Salem flicked her wrist toward the door after getting Hazels attention and he listened without question.

“ He still won't talk.” was all he said before leaving, Salem gave him half a glance and then nothing. “ Maybe you’ll do a better job” Emerald drew her weapons the curved blades clicking into place and Hazel gave her a genuine smile patting her on her head before he left. 

  
  


That scared Oscar more then anything.

  
  


The door closed behind them, Oscar braised himself as best as he could but he could barely hold himself up and sunk to a knee on the floor. Emerald put her weapons back in their holsters. 

_ Oscar? Still with me? _

He couldn’t bring himself to reply. 

_ That is not Salem.  _

His vision was blurry, who know how long ago his aura broke. He didn’t even know how long he’d been here. The last thing he remembers before he passes out is the girl saying something he couldn’t hear over the pounding in his head and saying 

“ _ Then who? _ ” he could have thought it or spoke it aloud. all he remembers is his world going black and the ringing fading into blissful nothingness.

:

The kid collapsed at some point during when her fellow saboteur spoke to him, in an attempt to not scare him. Neo looked him over while still holding her disguise up. It was a shock this he lasted this long, he needed medical treatment.

Neo picked him up, if anyone where to pass them on the way, they’d wouldn’t pester them about it. She looked like their boss after all. They ran into Tyrian on the way out who simply smiled manically and bowed at ‘Salem’. Neo ran her fingers across the top of his head as they walked by, something she’d seen Salem do when she had studied her. He passed ecstatically unsure of what he had done to deserve a reward but too elated to question it. Emerald gave her a look mirroring how Neo felt once they had moved forward. 

_ This is going too well.  _

But then the unmistakable sound of Salem’s heels clicking across the floor stopped them both cold. Emerald, shaking from fear still attempted to use her semblance on Salem to shield the three of them from view. Salem seemed to pause right in front of them, with an unreadable expression of close to vague displeasure but kept moving. Her hound trailing behind her seemed to sniff the air but when Salem ordered him to move, he only hesitated a moment. 

After she was gone, Neo dropped her disguise and the two of them booked it,quietly as possible Neo was careful not to jostle Oscar if only not to wake him. If the real Salem ran into Hazel or Tyrian. Neo heard Oscar moan and put a finger over his lips for a second to, she hoped shut him up. 

Knocking him out again may not be the best idea she knew, doesn’t mean she didn’t consider it. She also considered smothering him. He’s not useful to Salem if he’s dead.She then thought how Mercury looked when the kid came up, and how pointedly Emerald choose him to be the one to send him to the airship. She needed allies who weren’t appsolutely insane, and maybe she would begrudgingly admit concern for the kid,maybe. Its not like she can say either way and luckily the kid didn’t speak again, but he was awake eyes wide maybe a little afraid. Who knew she’d almost feel bad for the kid she fought hours ago. She could see a bit of grim saliva on on his collar when stopping a second to adjust his position to her shoulder and her eyes narrowed.

_ They didn’t even give him a chance to fight back.  _

She’d seen him fight, he wasn’t great but he was decent. Torture? Fine. Torturing a kid? Less fine. She knew that she wasn’t gonna smother him, she’d much prefer to smother that big guy she never actually learned the name of,Cinder even if she had already died, and Salem because obviously. 

Being preoccupied she almost didn’t notice where they had stopped, dead at the entrance to the thrown room and Emeralds hand reached for the door. With her left side free she used her now free arm to hook her Emeralds shoulder with the curved end of her parasol and pulled her back. Emerald looked between Neo and the door. Neo tapped her foot once looking cross and headed off. She still had Black to count on if need be. No need for an emotional loose cannon if thats the case. She didn’t look back to see if Emerald followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously she's so fun to write


	3. The Murderers Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mercury gets an unexpected vistor,Oscar wakes up and Emerald makes her decison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, somehow this story has taken over my life so. Chapter three already? I guess so!
> 
> Okay so, some of the point of views overlap time wise ( Oscars POV happens as his version of the events with Neo last chapter) 
> 
> Thank you all for reading and a special thanks to asamis_jodhpurs who's fic "Loved by (Almost) No One" inspired me to start writing again in the first place!

He grabbed bandages and a first aid kit incase anyone got caught in a scuffle on the way. Grabbing some basic essentials and throwing them in a gym bag, piece of cake.Storing them in the bag used for training equipment did just fine and wouldn’t raise any eyebrows. Its not like they could bring much, but Emerald insisted they pack something. Mercury rolled her eyes just thinking about her sentimentality, too soft, always too soft. Annoying.

Getting to the airship wasn’t a problem, hot wiring it wasn’t a problem. The Grimm flying around didn’t mess with him as they wouldn’t get to close to the whale.He stood looking at the unnatural deep pink sky, waiting. Attempting to steel his nerves. It was a risk, a stupid fucking risk. Not to mention he wasn’t stupid, he knew why Emerald sent him to get the ship and didn’t do it herself. She’s over reacting, its not like they’d hurt the kid to bad. He’ll be fine, maybe a little roughed up at the most.

_ and even if he’s not, why should I care? _

Mercury felt an emptiness at that, a dam he wouldn’t dare break. One that says he does,even if he doesn’t quite know why.

Hearing footsteps approaching and he turned around making sure to stay nonchalant It was Hazel, even an amateur could see the blood splatter on his shirt, the bruises on his knuckles and the pale red crystals mostly drained of color. He looked happy, well happy for him. 

“What, you get in a fight or something?”

Hazel seemed down right pleased “ Not much of a fight”

Mercury's blood ran cold. Emerald had said earlier Hazel was handling the kid. He expected small injuries, integration stuff. Black eye, bloody nose, at worst a broken rib or ankle. He was prepared for that, maybe not happy about it but that didn’t matter. He was the enemy, apparently but he also looked twelve. Just the amount of blood on his shirt, his shirt that clearly had some attempt at cleaning done. He felt the dam crack, just a bit.

“ They should have sent you in there instead of your partner, you would have been able to get more out of him. She’s too soft to do much damage”

“ Emerald can get the job done” He couldn’t keep the bite out of his voice

Hazel put his arm around Mercury's shoulders and it took everything he had to not just shove him off. Together they looked up at the dark clouds rolling in, Mercury was stiff as a board though Hazel didn’t notice or didn’t care. 

“ It’s probably not personal,You did a fine job on your last assignment, don’t worry you’ll get to have some fun soon.No need to be jealous of her. But for now just enjoy the view” 

Hazel looks to the sky, it looks more like a pool of blood then a sky.Mercury then pushes him off, glaring.He can not stand to be near this man. Attempting to keep his tone flippant, annoyed. His normal.

“ Well I have a ship to repair, the pink one damaged it getting away from Polendina.” It came out too flat.

He huffed “ Figures, I’ll leave you too it” and Hazel lumbered back inside. 

After was gone he let himself lean into the side of the little airship, for a moment.He couldn’t let his emotions get ahead of him, but while waiting all alone it was like the sky itself was mocking him. The air felt tight and his breathing was too short.He couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Abandoning power? Everything he ever known for a kid,an enemy he didn’t even know, a pick pocket who is too soft for her own good and an over dramatic theater kid who kept a knife in her parasol. He took a moment to rest his head against the smooth metal, he couldn’t help but wonder if the kid was okay or if Emerald chose Cinder instead. 

Usually Mercury Black is good at being alone with his thoughts that he could push aside. 

Today, he is not good at being alone, he knows it. His emotions feel like someone set his nerves on fire. If Hazel, the only actually decent person here,the one who stuck up for Emerald and him more times then he could count  _ enjoyed  _ doing something like that to a child.Hazel also thought he would be good at it, that he wasn’t soft like his partner. His breath hitched just thinking about it, he could still feel Hazels arm across his shoulders like a phantom weight. He needed to pull himself together before the others got here and pushed that thought somewhere he hoped he could never reach. 

He couldn’t let them see him so  _ weak  _

  
  
  


:

_ Ozpin,are you there? _

_ Yes. _

He felt jostled,and moaned before he was awake enough to realize that was probably a bad idea. His eyes snapped open when something touched his lips,the girl with two colored eyes-the one who stole the relic touched a gloved finger to his lips and glared at him. He got the message and tried to be quiet as possible as she switched his positions. Why was she was carrying him?

_ Thats Neapolitan.  _ Ozpin filled him in  _ She worked with Roman Torchwick back before Beacon fell.  _

_ What is going on,where are they taking us? _

_ I do not know,you’d have to ask them. Though maybe not right now. _

Oscar felt a jerk backwards, mild recoil from something Neo was doing with the arm not holding him. A pause and she was running again, much quieter then he would have thought possible. Eventually he felt wind, and heard the sounds of chittering from that only came from the grim. They where outside. 

“ That the kid?” a voice Oscar couldn’t quite place through the fog 

_ Mercury Black _ Ozpin provided,  _ Emerald Sustari’s teammate and partner for the doubles round in the vital festival, the two posed as students together along with Cinder and a fourth girl. Either we have not met her,she has passed or it was a disguise of Neapolitan’s.  _

  
  


He tuned in as Mercury spoke again, slowly.

_ “  _ Neo. where. is. _ Emerald?”  _

_ :  _

Emerald had stopped with Neo while she readjusted her hold on Oscar. They where almost there. It was unbelievable! They might get away with it. The thoughts jerked to a stop and she took a small intake of breath. They had been standing in front of the throne room.  _ Cinder _ was in there. The one she owed everything too, the one she was nothing without. She put a hand on the doorknob and sometime after felt something jerk her backwards.

Neo had used the handle of her umbrella to pull her backwards, paused a moment clearly waiting. She then rolled her eyes and ran off. 

Emerald watched after and put her hand on the doorhandle again but did not turn it. She rested her head against the obnoxiously ostentatious oak doors. She paused a moment, and just stayed there eyes closed and thoughts raising. The wood creaked and the door let out some of the pink light from the stained glass windows inside. The glass she couldn’t see felt like a silent judging weight looking down. The light seemed to bathe her, bait her in. 

She did not want to leave her, she wanted to know id she was alive. She  _ needed  _ her.

But she also wasn’t going to leave Mercury. She stepped back, out of the light. letting the sound of the brass handle hitting wood to echo down the wretched halls. What Salem was doing wasn’t right, and she knew that. She knew that if she opened those doors, that was it. She was stuck here. Alone. 

She couldn’t help but think, _ Only alone if Cinder is dead _ but deep down she knew it wasn’t true. 

“ Im sorry” was whispered in a voice barely audible and she darted off after Neo, teary eyed hoping she wasn’t too late. Feeling the weight of a decision and the judgement of the light. She’d never be able to take this back. If Cinder lived, they’d be enemies. But if Mercury left, she couldn't imagine being enemies.

She ran full speed to catch up to them.

_ “ if you go after Cinder im not coming back to save your ass”  _ Mercurys words rattled around her skull repeating after every step.  _ They are going to leave without me, they are going to leave me here and it would be my fault. Not that I don’t deserve it for wanting to abandon the one that gave me everything,I am nothing without her she deserved to be locked in a small room again just like when- _

Her thoughts started to spiral, her hands started to shake and she knew tears where forming in her eyes.She stopped running in time to hide herself from that jellyfish grimm that creaked with every movement and hid herself behind a pillar. She took that time to pull herself together and once it was gone, so was she. Emerald realized she knew a short cut to the dock, she had to make sure to stay hidden from the Grimm guarding that way. She was drained but arrived to the airship dock just in time to hear.

“ Neo. where. is.  _ Emerald? _ ”

“Don’t worry” she stepped out into the light- well, what accounts for light here. Emerald could have sworn the relief on Mercury’s face was palpable. “ Sorry, got caught up by a Seer. Managed to get here in the end.” 

Neo gave her a clearly annoyed look and hopped into drivers seat after placing the boy in the backseat.

“ Thank you, for not leaving me Merc” she said softly.

“ Damn, guess im stuck with you now”

“You know you want me”

“ Don’t use my lines against me” they bickered without the usual punch behind it. Both clearly drained.Emerald saw Mercury’s breath hitch at seeing the kid up close. She put a hand on Mercury’s shoulder. 

The kid stared at them, wide eyed and clearly afraid but trying not to be. 

Neo started the ship and they flew into the storm like nothing was wrong. Emerald almost laughed purely elated that they where free.until a very young,very tired voice said

“ What do you plan to do with me?” and scrunched his eyes closed.

Mercury tensed up so tight next to her, so she laid her hand on his leg. Trying not to make a big deal about it, draw attention to it. The two of them couldn’t afford to clam up now. Not after everything. 

“ Mercury and I can patch up some of those injuries” She said, clearly a non answer. 

_ What were we gonna do with a kid? _


	4. Nevermore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neo reflects

With a roll of her eyes Neo steered the ship away from the giant whale and into the giant crowd of Nevermore. No one spoke anymore, just the hum of the engine kept the interior of the ship from being painfully silent. Every time a wing bumped into the ship or claws scrapped the hull people hovered over their weapons. Waiting until it cleared to unclench their musles, which wasn’t helpful for keeping Grimm away. Neo wasn’t innocent of it either,she wasn’t scared though. Obviously. 

With a glance in the mirror she could see her new temporary allies. No one was holding their breath. No one had tears glinting in there eyes. Mercury eyes where hard, decisive. He occasional glanced out the windows, tracking the Grimm’s movements perhaps? But maybe the set of his shoulders was the same way he readied for a fight he didn’t think he could win. Maybe. Just maybe some of those glances where at Emerald, or the kid. Assessing them. Emerald looked more contemplative, like the reality of the situation hadn’t fully set in. The girl who makes other people see illusions, trapped in her own delusional thoughts.How ironic. Not that Neo could really call her out on that, for more reasons then the obvious. The Kid, who decided on his own that medical attention could wait until they landed just stared out the window,resting. Stupid enought to lower his guard. Neo could have sworn his refection in the ships tinted glass window didn’t quite match his face. He looked, older? She attempted to brush off the nagging thought,but it wouldn’t fully fade into the background. 

Her thoughts wondered as well, thinking back to the last time she had flown a ship in a swarm of Nevermores like this. She remembered how casual he was, laughing like they’d already won. She remembered being lifted into the air by her own umbrella, barely not getting killed on the way to the ground. Grimm and debris all around her. Some flying, some falling. She remembers he called for her. Maybe her hands tightened on the wheel a moment, until she make them relax digit by digit. Roman would kill her if she died for him in such a childish way, especially without first avenging him. The thought barely crossed her mind before something landed on the hull with a thump and roared before taking off. It caused the ship to get thrown off course and bump into another one before Neo could straighten it. A few Grimm caught on, and decided that bumping them around like Dolphins from off the shore of her childhood home did with fish. Between each other causing the ship to ricochet back and forth between them. No matter how quickly Neo Maneuvered ( Not at _ all  _ helped by Emerald yelling at her to do something) She couldn’t out fly something that already surrounded them while keeping them from falling out of the sky. They flocked to every angle, their massive size making it impossible to see through them. They where damaging the engine. Someone must have done something, as a spot cleared. Neo went to move that way when an even more malicious then usual one scrapped an entire wing off.

And then they where falling.

Neo couldn’t even scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mini Chapter !


	5. Then the World Turned Green

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Falling part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A late merry Christmas to those who celebrated yesterday,Happy Yule,and a super late happy Hanukkah to my fellow Jewish rwby fans!! Hope everyone is having a wonderful season. 
> 
> There’s a lot of POV switches this chapter, they are all happening simultaneously if that’s not clear.
> 
> I wrote this at 4am and am posting it? That’s a morning me problem.

Oscar knew what he had to do, just not if he could do it again. Opening the top of the ship would just leave them open to the Grimm. He steadied himself: It was better to focus on the inside of the ship then the outside. Neo was attempting to pull up. Mercury put his arms around Emerald pulling her in tight as if his body could shield hers from the fall. Emerald held on to him for dear life, fingernails digging into the back of his shirt,head tucked into his chest. He stroked her hair.

They all radiated negativity, fear. 

He thought hard about the shield he had given himself while falling, how it saved him. How now he had people to protect. He tried expanding it, pushing it out. 

_is this how Ruby feels?_

_Probably_. Ozpin added, calmly. 

Then the world turned green. 

Mercury didn’t know what he was doing he just instinctively tried to protect her. Emerald curled up against him, he could hardly breath himself. Was this how he died? An assassin stopped by a plane crash. He held her close like it could save them. 

_At least a crash would be quicker then the nevermores._

Dread rose in waves, like the ocean during a storm. His gut felt hollow. He distantly recalled the last time he felt like this and laughed into Emeralds hair. 

Right. He was holding her and she was letting him. She clutched on just as tightly, clinging to him. 

_Why would she find this safe?_

_and why do I?_

Then the world turned green. 

Neo desperately tried at the controls. Bobbing and weaving but it only ended with them spinning. She put her head into her hands and tried to calm down. 

_maybe I’ll get to see roman again_

Then the world turned green. 

Emerald was desperately pulled into an embrace she just as desperately needed. He was shaking, she could feel it from his chest. The Nevermores squawked and dived after us, enjoying their game. Mercury made a sharp noise into her hair, snapping her out of her fear a moment. 

_Wait, we don’t do this kind of thing._

He held her like he needed her to breathe and she reciprocated it. Her partner, her world, her rock.She never would admit it out loud, but she loved him. He was the one consistent thing in her life. Their decent only increased speed as the moved on but Mercury stayed as her anchor. 

_This was the end, wasn’t it?_

_I loved you_

Then the world turned green 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi I swear they don’t die but I liked where this left off don’t kill me. 
> 
> Also? Totally put your favorite RWBY non descript winter holiday headcannon in the comments !


	6. Partners in Crime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang makes a plan, kinda. Even if that involves just walking into a blizzard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! What is an update schedule ? I’m not sure!

There was no white light, no fire pits or grim rivers. There was a thud that should have been harder and a silence. Emerald didn’t see what happened.just that somehow, somehow they all lived. The air felt like it was charged with electricity and when Emerald moved her head to look, the ship was wrecked but on the ground. Neo was dusting herself off and standing up, looking up at the Aurora Borealis that gently flowed across the sky. Oscar, well looked like he was gonna pass out, green bits of his semblance sticking to him and buzzing like a firefly got bigger then it should of. 

She stayed seated looking up at the sky, Mercury’s arms around her. 

_ Wait _

Mercury had also been reorienting himself and seemed to have the same realization and they pulled apart like they’d been stuck with a hot iron. 

_ That kind of affection isn’t meant for girls like me. They where delusions and It doesn’t matter anyway;right now we just need to focus on getting somewhere safe.  _

But still, they all stayed a moment. Oscar catching his breath and letting the magic fade. Neo silently watching the sky. Emerald and Mercury sitting in the wreckage of their ship, too far apart but taking comfort in each others presence, though they’d deny it. 

Emerald breaks the silence after a few stolen moments of calm

“ We have to move before we freeze, Merc can you carry Oscar?”

and the illusion breaks

“ I can walk” he insists, reaching for a cane that wasn’t there. 

“ and pigs fly. You’ll only slow us down as you are right now and we can’t afford any dead weight in this weather. If you fall behind, I don’t promise to wait” Even if Mercury was back to himself,Emerald knew he wouldn’t leave the kid behind. 

Neo stretched hands above her head, slight tilt to her left;her joints audibly popping thenwent to grab supplies from the wreckage. She swung a bag on each shoulder then tosses Emerald the final bag along with the med kit. 

Then Neo gave Emerald a Cheshire smirk and pulled out the relic and the cane. 

Oscars eyes visibly widened, “ how did you...”

She mischievously turns into Cinder and puts Oscars cane over her shoulder. 

Before Emerald could take a guess, Mercury snapped 

“ I don’t know about you but Im not playing Charades until we freeze to death. We don’t have much time before it gets dark out, Give the kid the cane Neo”

She gives the cane to Oscar, only after lightly smacking the top ofMercurys head with her umbrella. Mercury definitely looked ready to snap her umbrella in half and she looked ready to stab him before he could. 

“ He’s right. “ Emerald attempts to circumvent a fight before it begins and adds as sweet as she seemed at beacon ” Can you explain after we find shelter?” 

Neo nods, pats Emerald on the shoulder and points in a direction with her umbrella then proceeds to starts walking, Oscar trudges on using his cane to stay balanced. 

Mercury walked up to her and slides the bag off Emeralds shoulders before shrugging it on to his “ How come she didn’t wack you?” 

“ Because I was nice to her, you should try it sometime.” 

“Nah. Not my style”

Emerald rolled her eyes while giving him a playful nudge and he returns the literal light ribbing. The partners in crime trailed behind the others a bit, walking side by side to keep each other safe, like nothing has changed. 

“ Neo is carrying two bags, why not take one of hers?”

“ She whacked me” he said like it was clear as day

“ You’re so petty”

“ Yup and you love it”

“ As if” 

Mercury gave his signature smirk and it felt like the world realigned. They’d be okay, she just knew it. 


	7. Simple Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are not the only ones out in the frozen wastes of Atlas tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oscar and Mercury POVs! I hope this was worth the wait, sorry it took a bit xo Im glad you all seem to be enjoying my late night ramblings of the villain kids,i may come back and edit grammer things later.

Oscar didn’t know what to make of any of this. He forced himself to keep going leaning on Ozpins cane while Neapolitan lead the way through the snow and the other two took up the rear. The storm was getting heavier and the temperature was dropping as it got darker. Emerald and Mercury’s banter eventually slowed into steady silence.For hours it was just walking, the sun had long since dipped below the horizon. Any attempt at conversation Oz tried to start he ignored, every bit of effort was used to keep himself upright. He still had no idea why they truly took him or what they wanted him for and no energy to focus on it. He knew his legs would give out any moment his eyes where swimming to the point where he thought he saw light.

He paused

_Wait._

_Light._

“ Hey, Hey wait I see light up head! Maybe its a fire and they’d share?”

Up Ahead there seemed to be some kind of outpost and the closer they got they saw one building lit up. It seemed one person was sitting outside, the closer they got.

“Ren!” 

He saw the slide of a knife scrapping a much too frilly holster 

“Oscar?” Ren turned around and stood up quickly making his way over like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. 

: 

Of course this couldn’t just be simple. 

The door to the little house opened and light covered the snow. 

“Ren, you better not be planning to go off on your own like a goddamn martyr” An all too familar girl stood in the doorway, her hair seemingly sparking. Its the bimbo who must have beaten Cinder in the vault at Haven. 

“You” Said Bimbo then noticed the rest of the people in the snow and turned to call back into the house they squatted in. “Jaune,Jaune get up!” Mercury heard the clattering in and saw the barely competent swordsmen who wore a dress to the beacon dance.

_There’s no way the heroes would believe us. Oscar was beat to hell and back, walking with us. If that where Em-_

Emerald beside him pulled out her weapons and he leaned into a fighting stance. He radiated over confidence and an arrogant ease of the predator he was taught to imitate. 

_Focus._

_Neo was out for blood she would go for blondie,naturally. Emerald would take Lie Ren as their weapons are similar, and i’d take the bumbling swordsmen._

Mercury took a moment to asses the enemy.

_Do not underestimate them, they have improved from Haven. The Swordsman's shield clearly is upgraded, Xio Long’s gauntlets likely have a more subtle upgrade and the quiet one by that logic as well.We have been walking for who knows how long but it seems they are tired as well, its not an unwinnable fight. It seems like any damage done, will not be easy to repair._

  
  


The other three seemed to have the same idea. Her eyes turning from lilac to red as soon as she put together an assumed narrative. Arc pulled a his sword from his sheath.

_His reaction time has gotten faster_ Mercury noted, swiveled his back foot readying to launch himself into a fight. Seconds passed like hours without either side moving.

Ren was the first to move making Neo the one to have to intercept him. 

_Not ideal, but their are worse match ups-_

“Wait! Wait. Guys they helped me get out. I’m not sure why, but they did. They even stole the relic back from Salem. They aren’t working against us” Oscar pushed his wat inbetween the two.

_What_

Neo had the gaul to look annoyed putting the knife away. Warily Mercury shifted into a less hostile stance and Emerald lowered her weapons a tad. 

“Neapolitan got it on the way out. Our ship was attacked by Grimm and crashed, we’ve been walking non stop”

Ren narrowed his eyes" We fought her for it less then twenty four hours ago" 

“ and they made you walk in your condition” Jaune looked angrier then you expected he’d be capable of and rushed over to him with Yang not far behind. 

“I did offer to carry him” Mercury added, more to provoke then anything else. 

Suddenly when Jaune Arc put his hands on Oscars shoulders his Aura seemed to cover Oscar in a splintering spiderweb of faint white light it started to close the wounds on him. Bruises started to fade, scrapes knitted up with thread made of pure light. It should have fully healed him but the tale tell sound of an aura shattering stopped it from finishing all of it. The light dissolved into nothing. Lines tangling and fading in an instant. 

“Jaune!” Xio Long rushed to stop him from collapsing. 

“Im alright, I can keep going” 

“You over did it, you may have a lot but you have also used an incredible amount of aura keeping yourself warm” Ren added.

“ The light would have attracted Grimm,We need to keep moving” Emerald said cutting off the teams sappy reunion. She decisively, holstered her weapons and looking toward the desert of snow ahead. Neo and Mercury gave each other the slightest of nods moving to get out of the way of the reunited kids. 

“Hold on,you’ll freeze out there” Jaune said surprising the trio

“and the relic attracts grimm,” Yang added crossing her arms. Her eyes long had faded back to a pale lilac. 

“ Which we aren’t letting you leave with again” Ren stepped in front of Neo 

“Well what do you expect us to do!” Emerald snapped. She had barely been holding it together leaving Cinder, he knew that. Her posture was stiffer then a taut bow string. He wanted to, he didn’t quite know. He wouldn’t insult her by lying to her that they would figure something out. 

“ There’s room inside for a few more isn’t there,Yang?” Oscar added

“Its tight but we can mange” 

“You can’t be serious” Mercury 

“You brought Oscar back” Ren said like it was any kind of explanation. 

Mercury glared much too tired to try and play friend. “Are you stupid or something?What if this was a trap.”

“This doesn’t mean we trust you” Arc piped in

“Not even close” Yang added with authority. 

“ and if you try anything, we will not hold back” He continued.

“Nobody needs to die here tonight” She spoke with finality

Oscar who had already walked inside without his notice poked his head out of the doorway with a smile

“and besides, you have the medical supplies” 

  
  
  


The three deserters looked at each other for a moment and glanced at the others filing inside. 

“Mercury?.”

“What choice do we have, freeze out here?”

“ I think I’d rather freeze” She didn’t have the energy to have the bite behind it.

Neo with a roll of her eyes was the first to step forward and inside. Mercury followed with Emerald not too far behind. 

“ it can’t be this simple” Emerald whispered

He gave her a nod, she echoed his thoughts perfectly

_It can’t be this simple_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! JYR is here! 
> 
> Also I like to think Mercury thought Jaune wearing a dress was bold, but not bad per say. When people choose to be themselves or do something to make a friend smile. Its admirable in a strange way, especially to those who have long been taught to keep their selves, their feelings hidden. There just wasn't a good way to put that in directly but I wanted people to know he didn't mean it as an insult, just the first thing that popped into his mind when he saw Jaune Arc. 
> 
> ( He still thinks Jaune's a bumbling idiot most of the time, but a confident one at least. )


End file.
